Device for attaching outlet boxes and the like to metal channel studding



3,491,974 ATTACHING OUTLET BOXES AND THE LIKE TO METAL CHANNEL STUDDING Jan. 27, 1970 w. w. SWANQUIST DEVICE FOR Filed April 12, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wa'si I i f frzaevzZaw WJa/a 2 5: 6 a My :1 v M m,

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[720622567 syWU /mry Wm, V- Wa United States Patent US. Cl. 248223 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The device is in the form of a channel-shaped base member that is slotted at its ends to receive the inturned flanges of the metal studding, and that is provided with an outlet box seat defining portion including a hook portion adjacent one end of the base member, and a rocker arm at the other end thereof, between which the box is anchored by slipping the edge of one of the box side walls under the hooked portion and fastening the box rear wall to the rocker arm, with the rocker arm including a foot portion formed with an angled end portion that is received behind the terminus of the stud inturned flange that is engaged by same when the box is made fast to the rocker arm.

My invention relates to a device especially arranged to permit securement of outlet boxes and the like to metal studding that has the familiar channel-shaped crosssectional configuration, which is now widely used in commercial and residential construction.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a device for securely mounting electrical outlet boxes or the like on metal channel studding in a facile manner and without requiring the drilling of holes or the like in the studding or using tools other than a screwdriver or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an outlet box mounting device th-at is specifically applicable to metal channel studding, and is arranged to take advantage of the particular shape of such studding in the applying and securement of the box thereto.

In accordance with this invention, a device for mounting outlet boxes or the like on metal channel studding is provided in the form of a channel-shaped base member having the ends thereof slotted to receive the inturned flanges of a metal stud between which the base member is mounted. The base member defines a seat against which the side wall of a box or the like is placed, with the edge of the box side wall being slipped under a hooked portion at one end of the base member, and the box rear wall being secured to a rocker member arm at the other end of the base member which includes a foot that is clamped against the underside of the stud inturned flange adjacent it, as the box rear wall is being made fast to the rocker member arm;

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device for applying outlet boxes to metal channel studding which device permits ready adjustment longitudinally of the stud after being applied, which meets all Underwriter Laboratory specifications, and which is economical of manufacture, convenient to use, and adapted for wide application.

Still other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a metal channel stud having the invention applied thereto to secure an outlet box to the stud;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the stud, the outlet box and the outlet box mounting device, taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view taken from the rear of FIGURE 1, substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the outlet box mounting device;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the rocker arm of the device shown in FIGURE 4 in a modified form; and

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are views similar to that of FIG- URE 2 illustrating the sequence of steps employed to apply the mounting device to the stud.

However, it is to be distinctly understood that the specific drawing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent Code and that the invention may have other specific embodiments that will be obvious to those skilled in the art and that are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Referring now more specifically to FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, reference numeral 10 generally indicates one embodiment of the invention applied to metal channel type stud 12 for the purpose of securing in place the conventional outlet box 14.

As indicated in FIGURE 2, the stud 12 is of the familiar generally channel-shaped configuration comprising a back wall or web -16 flanked by side walls 18, the free ends 19 of which are inturned to form opposed inturned flanges 20; the ends 19 are rolled or folded back on themselves as at 22 to define a bead 24.

The box 10 that is specifically illustrated is intended to be representative of those used in commercial and resi den-tial construction and comprises bottom wall 26 and side walls 28. As is customary with such devices, the bot tom wall 26 is formed with a plurality of knockouts 30, and perforations or holes 32 adapted to receive screws or nails or other types of fasteners for fixing the outlet box in place. As is well known in the art, the side walls 28 of the box are similarly formed in any suitable manner and include a pair of opposed wings 34 each formed with a threaded hole as at 36 to receive a screw for .applying the cover to the box. Boxes such as box 14 house electrical equipment and as is known by those working in this field, boxes of this type may take a variety of shapes and forms for different purposes. The term outlet box as used herein is intended to mean all comparable housings.

The device 10 comprises a base member 40 that is received between the inturned flanges 20 of stud 12 and defines a seat 42 bounded at one end of the base member 40 by a hooked flange 44, and adjacent the other end of the base member 40 by a slot 46 that receives a rocker member 48 that includes a special foot 50 adapted for engagement with one of the stud inturned flanges 20 in the manner indicated in FIGURE 2, and an arm 52 that is secured to the outlet box bottom wall 26 by a suitable form of self-tapping screw 54.

The base member 40 is of channel-shaped configuration (see FIGURE 4) and thus defines a web 56 and depending side walls or flanges 58 with the flanges 58 at the end 60 of member 40 each being formed with slots 62 that extend longitudinally of the base member 40, and the flanges 58 at the other end 64 of member 40 each being formed with a special slot 66 that is intended to facilitate application of base member 40 to the stud in the manner shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. The respective pairs of slots 62 and 64 receive the respective stud inturned flanges 20 (see FIGURE 2). i

The rocker member 48 is a unitary element of single piece construction shaped so that its foot 50 at its free end 70 defines upstanding flange 72 which is serrated as at 74, while its arm portion 52 is formed with a screw receiving perforation 76. If desired, the arm portion 52 may have applied over same a conventional nut device, such as the U-shaped element 78, that is formed with teeth 80 adapted to cooperate with the threads of a selftapping screw such as screw 54, where the screw 54 to be employed is too small to have self-threading cooperation with perforation 76.

In employing the device 10, the base member 40, with or without the rocker member 48 applied thereto, is positioned with respect to the stud to which an outlet box 14 is to be applied so that the member 40 substantially bridges the space 81 between the inturned flanges 20, and then one of the inturned flanges 20 is inserted into the special slots 66 substantially in the manner indicated in FIGURE 6. The stud side wall 18 opposing the inturned flange 20 that is applied to the slots 66 is then deflecte d outwardly by hand, as indicated at 84 in FIGURE 7, so that base member 40 may be rocked to the position of FIGURE 7 from that shown in FIGURE 6 about the inturned flange 20, that is received in slots 66, as a pivot, whereupon the side wall 18 that has been deflected as shown in FIGURE 7 is pressed toward the other stud side wall to snap the opposing inturned flange 20 into the respective slots 62.

If the rocker member 48 has not been applied to member 40, this is done at this time and by inserting the flange 72 of foot 50 into slot 46 and threading member 48 to the position indicated in FIGURE 8, whereupon the box 14 may be disposed against seat 42 in the manner indicated in FIGURE 8 with the edge 86 of one of its side walls 28 received under the hooked flange 44.

The box 14 is then adjusted longitudinally of stud 12 to align one of its holes 32 with the perforation 76 of the rocker member 48, and arm portion 52 of rocker member 48 pressed toward the box sufliciently so that self-tapping screw 54 may be applied through the box hole 32 and into perforation 76 in the manner indicated in FIGURE 2 to draw the rocker member arm 48 firmly against the rear surface 90 of box rear wall 26 and thus firmly clamp or bias the flange 72 of its foot 50 against the stud inturned flange 20 it engages, which action causes the flange 72 to slip behind bead 22 of the inturned flange 20 it engages.

This mounts the box on stud 12 and permits limited adjustment longitudinally of the stud, if desired, by manually shifting the device 10 thereof against its binding engagement with the stud. By crimping the stud as indicated at 92 in FIGURE 4 on either side of device 10, further vertical movement of the device 10 is precluded; ordinarily this is desirable only when necessary to meet Underwriter Laboratory specifications calling for the box mounting arrangement to withstand a fifty pound load, and then need only be done below the device 10.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION The studding represented by the stud 12 is intended to represent conventional metal channel studding of the type equivalent to that made and sold by United States Gypsum Company of Chicago, Ill.

The invention is adapted for application to outlet boxes 14 of any suitable type known to the trade for general purpose use to house all types of electrical connections, and the box illustrated as being exemplary is made by All-Steel Equipment Inc. of Aurora, 111., under the trademark Raco.

The base member 40 of device 10 may be made from channel stock of suitable gauge proportioned to define the web 56 and flanges 58. It is preferred that the web 56 define a planar surface 100 that forms the seat 42. The flange portion 44 is formed initially as an appendage and is bent to substantially the angle indicated in FIG- URES 2 and 6-8 in any suitable manner.

As indicated in FIGURES 2, 4 and 68, the slots 62 at the end 60 of base member 42 extend lengthwise of the member 42 and they are proportioned to closely receive the beads 22 that are conventionally formed in the stud inturned flanges 20. As indicated in FIGURES 2, 7 and 8, the slots 62 have a dimension lengthwise of the base member 42 that is somewhat in excess of the dimension of the inturned flanges 20 transversely of the stud back wall 16.

The slots 66 of the base member 42 have a special configuration that includes in the form illustrated an enlarged portion 102 of squared configuration which is opened by a narrow portion 104 that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base member 42 at an angle of about 45 degrees. The slot portions 102 and 104 define a flat surface 106 and a protrusion 108, respectively, which are placed into binding engagement with the stud inturned flange 20 that the'grooves 66 are associated with, as the base member 40 is rocked from the position of FIGURE 6 to the position of FIGURE 7, thereby materially increasing the locking action that the base member 42 makes with the stud. Note that the protuberance 108 is positioned to engage behind the bead 22 of the inturned flange it is associated with (see FIGURES 2, 7 and 8).

The rocker member 48, as indicated, is preferably of one-piece construction and is shaped to the configuration indicated and includes a pair of angled wings 110 that are disposed on either side of the arm portion 52 which define stop forming edges 112 that engage against the web 56 of base member 42 to limit the amount that rocker member 48 will enter into slot 46. The stop forming edges 112 also form a fulcrum like arrangement withthe base member where indicated at 114 whereby the rocker member 52 may be rocked about an axis extending transversely of base member 40 to permit proper positioning of the box 14 on seat 42. The foot 50 is proportioned so that, as screw 54 draws arm 48 flush against the box rearwall the flange 72 of foot 50 slips behind the bead 22 of the stud inturned flange it is associated with.

The angle that the arm portion 52 makes with respect to the foot 50 is of importance in that it is intended that when the screw 54 is applied as indicated in FIGURE 2, the flange 72 of foot 50 be firmly pressed against the inturned flange 20 it associates with. For this purpose, the arm portion 52 should have an angle with respect to foot 50 such that, when the box 14 and the device 10 are positioned as shown in FIGURE 8 prior to application of screw 54, the arm portion 52 makes an angle on the order of about 60 degrees with respect to the web 56 of base member 52 (as indicated in FIGURE 8). This may be achieved by making the rocker member 48 so that arm portion 52 has an angle of degrees or less with respect to foot 50. The relation of parts involved contemplates that the box installer will apply suflicient finger pressure to deflect rocker member arm portion 52 adequately enough toward the box to start the portion of screw 54 projecting through the back of the box in same, and thus the gauge and strength of member 48 should be made such that the resilient flexibility indicated will be present.

As already indicated, the nut device 78 is an optional feature and can be omitted, as shown in FIGURE 2 wherein the self-tapping screw is applied through one of the holes 32 of box 14, or another hole especially formed therein if so desired to accommodate the particular size of screw 54 of box being used, for threading into perforation 76.

Alternately, the nut device 78 may be employed where the perforation 76 is too large for 'screw 54 to be employed, in which case the screw 54 will also enter through one of the box openings 32 into the nut device 78 and through perforation 76, though, again, a special hole could be formed in box 14 for this purpose if so desired to better accommodate the size of the self threading screw being used.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate my invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, since those skilled in the art who have my disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. For use in securing an outlet box or the like to a stud of channel-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration defining a web flanked by side walls extending in the same direction laterally thereof and having the free end of the side walls turned toward each other to define inturned flanges, with the portion of the respective side walls defining said ends being doubled over inwardly of the stud to dispose the terminus of the respective side walls under the respective inturned flanges and facing in opposite directions,

a mounting device comprising:

a base member,

said base member defining opposed ends that are slotted to receive the respective inturned flanges of a stud to mount the base member on the stud,

said base member including a seat defining portion positioned to face outwardly of the stud web when the base member is mounted on the stud against which a side wall of a box is adapted to engage and having a hooked portion adjacent one end thereof under which the edge of the box side wall engages when a box is applied to said seat portion,

a rocker member defining an upstanding arm and a foot, means for mounting said rocker member on said base member adjacent the other end of said base member to dispose said foot thereof adjacent the stud inturned flange that is disposed adjacent said other end of said base member when said base member is mounted on the stud,

said rocker member arm adjacent the free end thereof being formed to define a screw receiving hole with which a screw receiving hole in the box rear wall may be aligned,

said rocker member foot being proportioned to engage the stud inturned flange when said rocker member arm is rocked toward said one end of said base member,

said rocker member foot including an end portion that is angled to be received behind the terminus of the stud inturned flange engaged by same when the box is secured on said base member,

whereby the box may be secured on said base member by applying screw means between the box rear wall hole and said rocker member arm hole to clamp said rocker member arm to the box and said rocker member foot against the stud inturned flange adjacent it.

2. The mounting device set forth in claim 1 wherein:

one of said base member ends is formed to receive one of the stud inturned flanges when said base member is disposed to bridge the space between the stud inturned flanges, whereby the stud side wall of the other inturned flange may be deflected outwardly of the stud to pass the other base member end when said base member is rocked inwardly of the stud to position the other inturned flange Within the slot of the base member other end.

3. The mounting device set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said rocker member arm is disposed at an angle on the order of degrees with respect to said seat portion and inclines away from the box rear wall when the box is applied to said seat portion,

whereby said rocker arm compresses said foot thereof against the stud inturned flange engaged by same when the screw means is applied between the box rear wall and said rocker member arm to draw said rocker member arm against the box rear wall.

4. The mounting device set forth in claim 3 wherein:

end portion of said rocker member foot is serrated.

5. A mounting arrangement for an outlet box or the like comprising, in combination:

an outlet box comprising a rear wall bounded by upstanding side walls,

a stud of channel-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration defining a web flanked by side walls extending in the same direction laterally thereof and having the free end of the side walls turned toward each other to define inturned flanges, with the portion of the respective stud side walls defining said ends being doubled over inwardly of the stud to dispose the terminus of the respective side walls under the respective inturned flanges and facing in opposite directions,

a mounting device comprising:

a base member,

said base member defining opposed ends that are slotted and receive the respective inturned flanges of said stud to mount the base member on the stud,

said base member including a seat defining portion positioned to face outwardly of the stud web against which a side wall of said box is engaged and having a hooked portion adjacent one end thereof under which the edge of said box side wall is engaged,

a rocker member defining an upstanding arm and a foot,

means for mounting said rocker member on said base member adjacent the other end of said base member to dis-pose said foot thereof adjacent the stud in turned flange that is disposed adjacent said other end of said base member,

said rocker member arm adjacent the free end thereof being formed to define a screw receiving hole with which a screw receiving hole in the box rear wall is aligned,

said rocker member foot engaging the stud inturned flange when said rocker member arm is rocked toward said one end of said base member,

said rocker member foot including an angled end portion received behind the terminus of the stud inturned flange engaged by same,

and screw means for making said box fast to said arm and clamp said foot against the stud inturned flang it engages.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-33; 248228 

